The recent layoffs at BioWare, the creators behind the much-anticipated Dragon Age: The Veilguard, have sparked widespread discussion about the current state of the gaming industry. These layoffs have brought to light the challenges and decisions that game development companies face, prompting industry leaders to voice their opinions on the matter.
Michael Daus, the publishing director of Larian Studios, has been vocal on social media about the issue of layoffs within the gaming sector. He argues strongly for the value of retaining employees and stresses that the responsibility for such decisions should not fall on regular staff but on those in leadership positions. Daus emphasizes the importance of maintaining institutional knowledge within a company, which is crucial for the success of future projects.
He critiques the common corporate practice of "trimming the fat" or reducing redundancies, especially when used as a justification for layoffs. While he acknowledges that financial pressures can necessitate such actions, Daus questions the necessity of aggressive efficiency measures in large corporations. He points out that such strategies might be justified if they consistently led to successful game releases, but he argues that using layoffs as an aggressive cost-cutting measure is not the solution. Instead, he sees it as an extreme form of cost management that ultimately harms the company.
Daus further criticizes the strategies developed by higher-ups, noting that it's often the employees at the bottom of the corporate hierarchy who suffer the consequences. He suggests a more radical approach to company management, humorously proposing that game development companies should be run like pirate ships, where the captain (or leadership) would be held accountable for the ship's (or company's) fortunes.
This ongoing debate highlights the need for a more sustainable and employee-focused approach to managing game development teams, ensuring that the industry can continue to thrive without sacrificing the talent and knowledge that drive its success.
